Climate Change Adaptation Webinar 4/1/2015 cluin.org

Integrating Climate Change Adaptation into the Superfund Program

Anne Dailey Superfund Program, EPA HQ

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Topics ! EPA-wide Priority

! Potential Issues

! Project Manager’s Role

!  Integration throughout the Superfund Process

! Key Points Image credit: U.S. Global Change Research Program (www.globalchange.gov).

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Priority to Address Climate Change

! President’s recent call to action on climate change

! Addressing climate change is one of EPA’s top priorities

! EPA’s mission is to protect human health and the environment

! Extensive investments in Superfund remedies

!  Increase remedy resilience

! Luck favors the prepared

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Climate Change Impacts Key potential climate change impacts agreed upon by climate experts and included in EPA’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan are:

Increased extreme temperatures

Sustained changes in average

temperature

Sea level rise

Decreased permafrost in Arctic

regions

Decreased precipitation days, increasing drought

intensity

Increased heavy precipitation events

Increased flood risk Increased frequency and

intensity of wildfires

Increased intensity of hurricanes

Image credit: U.S. Global Change Research Program (www.globalchange.gov)

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Potential Issues at Superfund Sites

! Past may not predict the future

! Some older remedies may not fully consider climate change

! Some cleanups may need strengthening

! Many remedies in place for a long time

! Standard practices may no longer be effective

! Processes and protocols may need adjustment

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The Good News!

The existing Superfund process for planning and implementing contaminated site cleanups provides a robust structure to:

"  Evaluate vulnerability,

"  Consider potential climate change impacts and

"  Implement adaptation measures.

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Project Manager’s Role

! Ask questions and use common sense

! Understand climate change issues near the Superfund site

! Understand potential vulnerabilities "  Existing or planned remediation systems

!  Implement adaptation/mitigation measures "  More options during earlier stages of cleanup

! Monitor and update as needed

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Climate Change Adaptation Management

From EPA, 2014. Climate Change Adaptation Technical Fact Sheet.

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Evaluate System Vulnerabilities

!  Identify climate change hazards of concern

! Characterize the remedy’s exposure

! Characterize the remedy’s sensitivity

! Consider factors that may exacerbate exposure and sensitivity of remedy

Hazard: Remedy is located in a

low-lying area

Vulnerabilities: - Physical damage - Water damage - Power interruption - Reduced access

Exposure: Within100 year

floodplain

Other factors: Storm surge Subsidence RISK

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Implement Adaptation Measures

!  Identify current and projected potential impacts ! Assess risks !  Identify potential adaptation and mitigation

measures that may apply to site scenarios !  Identify feasible first steps ! Build team, leadership, partner and community

support !  Implement priority adaptation/mitigation

measures

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Monitor and Periodically Re-evaluate

! Track progress and status of response actions

! Continue monitoring changes in climate and impacts

! Review assumptions and new information

! Update and revise as needed

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Integrate Consideration of Climate Change in the Existing Superfund Process

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Major Phases in Remedial Process

! Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study "  Nature and extent of contamination "  Human and ecological risks "  Develop and screen remedial alternatives

! Remedy selection ! Remedy design ! Remedial action ! Post Construction

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Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study

! Consider climate change when: "  Assessing the nature and extent of the contamination

and associated risk "  Developing conceptual site model "  Evaluating remedial alternatives, developing remedial

design and considering long-term stewardship

! Use best available data and models

! Confer with local/regional experts "  For example, nearby port authority

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Analysis of Remedial Alternatives: Nine Remedy Evaluation Criteria

!  Threshold Criteria: "  Overall protection of human health and the environment "  Compliance with applicable and relevant and appropriate

requirements

! Balancing Criteria: "  Long-term effectiveness

and permanence "  Reduction of toxicity,

mobility or volume through treatment

"  Short-term effectiveness

"  Implementability

"  Cost

! Modifying Criteria: "  State acceptance "  Community acceptance

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Remedy Selection

! Use best available guidance, data and other resources

! Consider climate change impacts as part of remedy alternative evaluation and selection

!  Incorporate consideration of: "  Exposure to potential climate change impacts "  Remedy vulnerabilities "  Adaptation and mitigation measures

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Remedial Design/Remedial Action ! Consider site vulnerabilities and adaptation

measures ! Consider:

"  Below ground components "  At and above ground components "  Site operations and infrastructure

!  Incorporate in design and implementation

"  For example, elevate electrical panels, armor containment, etc.

! Consider long-term stewardship

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Post Construction Completion ! Operation and maintenance (may be oversight role)

"  Monitor remedy for climate change related vulnerabilities "  Emergency operations and response plans "  Record management

! Five-Year Reviews "  Evaluate remedy implementation and performance to

determine if protective •  Is the remedy functioning as intended? •  Are the assumptions, data and cleanup levels still valid? •  Is there new information that could call into question

protectiveness of the remedy? "  If issues, may need updated O&M Plan or remedy

decision

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! Placeholder for R2 FYR CC evaluation example Region 2 approach for considering climate change impacts in FYRs

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http://www.epa.gov/superfund/climatechange/

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Key Points

! Agency priority to address climate change

! Existing Superfund process provides a robust structure to consider climate change vulnerability and adaptation

! Ask questions and use common sense

! Earlier the better

! Luck favors the prepared

! More info: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/climatechange/